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Weekly Drabble Challenge - Historical Splinches: Chinese New Year

One of El Gato Loco's favorite Potterverse scenes is the description of other wizards/witches from all over the world during the Quidditch World Cup in the Goblet of Fire. It extrapolates the magic world almost ten-fold.

To honor the fact that there are more wizards/witches out there other than the ones in England, your prompt this week is to write a drabble in which Chinese New Year is celebrated. It can take place at any point in time with any character of your choosing, and any place your heart desires.

So do your research, and write it well. Remember, El Gato Loco & MQ look for creativity in the prompt use. So go wild!

The following form must be used when submitting your drabble responses to this post -

Name:
House:
Title:
Warnings:
Words:

Winners will be awarded 15, 10, and 5 points respectively.

All drabbles must be less than 500 words; All standard grammar rules, and MNFF submissions guidelines apply.

The challenge will be up for a week, and be closed exactly a week later (February 7th.) - Actual Chinese New Year this year! Woot!

MithrilQuill and I will be judging them and posting results a couple of days later.

All questions should be referred to the Question Corner - Do not post questions here. Only drabbles!

Other than that...have fun!

~Gato Loco & Mith~

I've left moddom/fandom...though don't be surprised if I get caught lurking once in a blue moon.
All questions pertinent to Ravenclaw need to be sent to ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor
If you wish to keep in touch, feel free to friend me on LJ - I don't friend anyone under the age of 18. Sorry!

Well, I guess I shall be the first post!
Name: Enneirda/A.J.
House: Hufflepuff!
Title: The Other New Year
Warnings: None
Words: 482

Ron and Harry uneasily made their way through the gathering crowd, clearly not in their element. Who ever thought of assigning the two friends in China for their Auror training was absolutely insane.

It had only been two weeks since they left their families to pursue this course of life, and they had been adjusting well despite the language gap. Their translator was a fellow Auror named Mei-Mei, although she sometimes got tired of their persistent questions and wanted to curse them into oblivion.

"Sorry ma'am," Ron said, accidentally bumping into an elderly woman clad in red relying heavily on a cane. His action caused her to drop the firecrackers she had been holding.

She started laughing and saying, "Kung Hei Fat Choi" while he hurried to retrieve them. After giving back the traditional fireworks, the woman hobbled off, while Ron rejoined his mate.

"I have no idea what she said," he explained, half-confused while the two friends walked down the main street of the town just outside of Hong Kong . Joy seemed everywhere this evening with the many glowing lanterns, vendors shouting over the crowd in different dialects, and children happily running and laughing with red packets in their hands.

"What's going on?" Harry wondered aloud, glancing at the people surrounding them. They all seemed wearing red and looked incredibly happy for some reason. Unexpectedly both men were astonished to spot three men in one lion costume in a clear circle, dancing and jumping rhythmically to the lively music provided by an enthusiastic band.

"I knew I should have turned down the job," a confused Ron muttered as they continued down the road. Harry abruptly jumped back at the apparent sound of many people Apparating. He looked to the side, but only saw firecrackers being set off; the sound so similar to the one he had been used to it was eerie.

"I think it's a celebration," Harry explained, but of what he did not know. Ron nodded in agreement as they spotted their housing the Auror department supplied them. All the windows were open and the lights inside were turned on. A young woman was outside also clad in red, trying to unlatch a stuck window. "Mei-Mei," Harry asked the other Auror. "Is there something special going on today?"

She laughed at their confusion. "Today is the Lunar New Year!" she explained with a giggle. “It’s celebrated near the end of January or the beginning of February, which is probably why you didn’t notice.” She was still doubled over in laughter. She gathered herself and then muttered: "This reminds me..." She disappeared inside for a moment before returning with two red packets in each hand. “Kung Hei Fat Choi, you two,” she said with a smile. Ron opened his little envelope and found some gold galleons staring at him from the inside.

Dumbledore, as usual, almost danced out of the fireplace in his office after Flooing to it. He was wearing a bright red robe with golden dragon patterns on it and completely overlooked the paperwork on his desk, opting to head straight to the grand doors marking the entrance to the room. He swung them open wildly…!
And found Professor McGonagall on the other side. She looked at his outfit and was silent for a moment.

Finally, she responded, “You’re headmaster, Albus, and cannot show house partiality.”

Dumbledore stared down at his red robe and then back up again at McGonagall.
“Oh. This really has nothing to do with Gryffindor.” He stared sheepishly at her, and she stared back coldly. Dumbledore tried again, “I can wear green tomorrow, if you like?”

Disgust distorted McGonagall’s face. “No,” she said, “That color is much better on you, or anyone. Now where were you going in that… kimono?”

“It’s a robe, like any other!” defended Dumbledore. “I was going to the kitchen, to address the elves.” He walked past her, and made his way to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Dumbledore ushered all the house elves around one counter and began to explain the point of the meeting to them.
“Right, today is a very celebrated day. No, not here in Britain, but in, well, China.” Dumbledore was made uncomfortable by the elves uniform, almost soldier-like lack of response. “That’s right, today is in fact, the Chinese New Year. Now, there are a few issues we need to address. Firstly, I want all brooms, dusters, and other such cleaners put away into wherever they go. This should keep our good fortune from being swept away.” Dumbledore had kept his eye on one elf in particular, and noticed that it wasn’t even blinking. He noticed suddenly the intense stare each was giving him. “Secondly, I want the entire castle to be swept tomorrow, however, I would like to collect all the rubbish in bags and leave them in dark corners. Is that clear? It’s a little off-routine, but you are smart people- elves, I mean.” Dumbledore would have kept going, but needed a break from the unceasing glare and decided to address the elves again later.

The second morning, same as the first. Dumbledore leapt out of the fireplace, humming happily into his office. He wandered straight to the big door and swung it open. Sadly, McGonagall wasn’t there.
“Too bad,” murmured Dumbledore, “I wanted her to see me in green. Maybe she’ll drop by my office later.” Dumbledore went off to the kitchen.

Thirteen nights, days, colorful robes, and house-elf addresses later, Dumbledore retired to his office in a dull gray robe that had for some reason appeared more Indigo that morning then it was that evening. He lay down in a sofa by his desk and fell asleep, without even going home. Perhaps, he decided, The Chinese New Year season could just stay in China next year.

Chung Chu Shan hated Chinese New Year. She hated everything about it. The brightly coloured Tang Long lanterns, the red of the Angpows (that now only contained a sickle or two) the trips to the graves of ancestors to ask their blessings (a night full of frostbites in her anything but humble opinion)

But it hadn’t always been this way. Chu Shan remembered the excited girl who used to bounce up and down at the mention of the holiday, who used to perch herself on her ye ye’s shoulders and forced him to walk up and down the street so she could yell Gong Xi Fa Chai to all the houses on the street. Who used to pray to the ancestors for luck.

Nothing much was left of the Chung family now. Most of them had been killed in the battle against the evil Lord Tsai, only she and her brother were left to carry on the bloodline, a reminder of all the Chungs had lost.

Chinese New Year evoked a certain rage in her now. What right had people to sing so happily and dare to hope when all was lost? Why were they bothering to pray when nothing could be gained from it. Implanting in all the little children’s minds that it was all right to hope and wish.

The way Chu Shan saw it; there was nothing in the world to live for.

“Gong Xi Fa Chai, jie,” Min Jer must have crept behind her while she was in her angry reverie. He looked so young and innocent in the morning sunlight, unaware that world will break him one day like it did his sister.

Over the tumult of the crowd and firecrackers, a small voice was indistinctly heard. It sounded rather like a siren or an alarm going off. Despite all the noise, the passersby winced as it broke from the mouth of a little girl standing in the middle of the throng, hands covering her ears and eyes shut tightly. She wailed long and slowly and scrunched up her nose.

“Cho! What in the world are you doing?” the girl felt her hands being jerked away from her ears and fell silent immediately. She looked up at the face of a young woman, wearing an expression of unmistaken annoyance.

Cho took a deep breath and began with as much maturity as an eight year old could muster while standing in the middle of the road, surrounded by gawking people and the stupendous noise of firecrackers stinging your ears. “I was trying to drive the Nian away.”

Her cousin laughed and said, “Oh Cho! There’s no such thing as the Nian!”

“Oh, but there is!” Was the indignant reply as the elder girl took Cho by the hand and lead her to a bench on the side of the road, some distance away from the parade.

“How can you be so sure of that, huh?”

“Ye Ye said that it’s true! He also said that the Nian comes after the children who don’t make noise. And that he eats them when he sees them. And that we should make lots and lots of noise to drive him away so that he never comes back.”
He cousin gave her an astonished look at which Cho grinned.

“You’re not afraid, are you, cousin Meilin?”

“No, not afraid. But you know, even if it is true, about the Nian, we’ll always be safe from it. Wizards like our family would never let a scratch on you, let alone a man eating monster!”

Cho looked at her quizzically and said, “What do you mean wizards like our family? I don’t think anyone would let the Nian near anyone.”

“I suppose you’re right… Look!” Meilin pointed suddenly at the sky and both girls titled their heads upwards.
The sky was like a blanket of darkness spotted with red and gold dots, converging at one point. There was an outbreak of hushed whispers among the crowd as the parade slowed to a stop and the lights went out.
All at once, the one huge red and gold point broke apart and before their eyes formed the image of a dragon.

“Amazing!” exclaimed Meilin.

“On Broomsticks! Oh wow!” said Cho, her eyes shining.
She looked at her cousin and said, “Wanna scream at the Nian?”
Both girls closed their eyes and with their hands over their ears, took a deep breath each and let out a long, slow and loud scream, into the open sky.

In Chinese mythology, a Nian (traditional Chinese: 年獸; simplified Chinese: 年兽; pinyin: nián shňu) is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, especially children. The Nian is sensitive to loud noises and afraid of the color red.

OMG!
Like Teh Gato has mentioned several times before, it is always hard to just pick three winners...and in this round Teh Gato was very impressed with the research and thought process that went into the submitted drabbles...hence, everyone who submitted a drabble receives 5 points for their House...

Congrats everyone! XD

Teh lovely MQ will post points at a later date.

Cheers!
~Ebil Gato Loco

I've left moddom/fandom...though don't be surprised if I get caught lurking once in a blue moon.
All questions pertinent to Ravenclaw need to be sent to ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor
If you wish to keep in touch, feel free to friend me on LJ - I don't friend anyone under the age of 18. Sorry!